10 Little-Known Facts About Edgar Allan Poe

How well do you know the master of the macabre? Here are 10 little-known facts about the original horror maestro, Edgar Allan Poe.

The name Edgar Allan Poe conjures all things creepy and macabre. His poems and short stories have long instilled terror into the hearts of readers, and he is considered one of the most important American writers in history. But what do we really know about Poe, other than his dark literary gifts?

Here are 10 little-known facts about one of the earliest masters of American horror, Edgar Allan Poe.

1. Poe’s parents were actors

Photo Credit: MPI / Getty Images

It’s likely he was given the name “Edgar” after the character in Shakespeare’s King Lear, in which his parents were appearing during the time of his birth.

2. The name “Allan” came from his foster family

After his father left the family and his mother died, Poe was taken in by the family of John Allan, a wealthy Scottish merchant living in Virginia. Poe was never formally adopted by the Allans, but they gave him their name, which he eventually chose to use in his professional career.

He incurred massive gambling debts, which left him unable to afford to remain at school, despite the money John Allan claimed he was sending to his foster son.

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5. He married his cousin in 1835

Poe was 26, and his cousin, Virginia Clemm, was only 13. They were married for 11 years, until Clemm’s death from tuberculosis. Poe’s experience watching his wife struggle with illness is believed to have inspired many of his most famous works, such as Annabel Leeand The Raven.

6. Poe soldThe Ravento a literary journal,The American Review, for only $9